India cannot approach the NSG: CPI(M)

Published: Tuesday, March 18, 2008, 4:33 [IST]

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New Delhi, Mar 17 (UNI) The CPI(M) today claimed that India cannot approach the Nuclear Suppliers Group on India-US nuclear deal as it is not a member of the body and secondly, the country can only approach it under the 123 agreement, which is not acceptable to the Left.

''What is the point of approaching the NSG when India is not even its member,'' asked CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury at a news conference in the precincts of Parliament. Every one knows that it is the United States which has go to the international body to get India-specific exemption, he added.

The Marxist leader made the observation when asked in what way the government could move forward on the nuclear deal with the US and if it included to going to the NSG.

Pressed on the party's stand on the ongoing violence in Lhasa Tibet which Dalai Lama has dubbed ''cultural genocide,'' Mr Yechury said that ''it was an internal matter of China. As we don't want any other country to interfere in our J&K issue, similarly we can not interfere in other countries' internal affairs.'' ''It is a matter of internal disturbance'' in China, he added.

Asked why they condemned declaration of independence by Kosovo, he said they did so as it was made independent by NATO.

However, the Left leader had to admit that what has happened in Tibet was ''a violation of human rights.'' But at the same time, Mr Yechury said the Indian government, too, accepted Tibet as an integral part of China. On Tibetean refugees status in India, he said they supported the government's stand.